Massive comet hurtling toward solar system, much bigger than previously thought

The interstellar object hurtling toward the inner solar system, where Earth is located, is much larger than previously thought, astronomers say. A comet named 3I/ATLAS likely weighs more than 33 billion tons, Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb said in a blog post on Thursday. Loeb made the observation after examining the trajectory of the speeding object -- comparing the total mass loss rate and outflow speed from its surface by using data taken by the Webb Space Telescope on Aug. 6. The diameter of the nuclear of the comet is likely more than 3.1 miles, the largest of two other interstellar objects previously recorded, Loeb said. The comet is likely made mostly of carbon dioxide , with an abundance of carbon dioxide gas detected in its coma -- the extended gaseous atmosphere of a comet -- an